September 11, 2008

1. Tom Brady’s injury may be the most crushing Week 1 injury in NFL History. After taking his team to 18-0 and losing in the Super Bowl, I’m sure there is nothing more that Tom Terrific would have loved to do is add another ring to his collection. But with his season-ending injury, Tom will not get the chance to do that this season. But hold your horses my friends, Tom’s team, the Patriots, still have a chance considering they still have one of the mosttalented rosters in the league. Don’t count these Patriots out yet, as remember Tom Brady got his big chance when Drew Beldsoe went down in Week 2. And what did Brady and the Patriots do that season? Oh yeah, that’s right, they upset the Rams in the Super Bowl and began their march to a dynasty of this decade. Only time will tell if Matt Cassell can duplicate what Brady did that season.

2. The Cowboys offense is scary good. I am legitimately scared for my San Francisco 49ers when they go to Texas Stadium to take on these guys. Romo and Owens look like they have been playing together for years as they just seem to always be on the same page. Jason Witten is a solid a tight end that most teams would kill to have on their roster. Marion Barber added two more one yard touchdowns to his stats. Has there ever been a guy that scores more one yard touchdowns than him. I’m calling it, he will own that record someday.

3. Just as a side note to thought number 2, with his touchdown reception against the Browns on Sunday, Owens has tied former Minnesota Vikings great Cris Carter on the all-time receiving touchdowns list with 130. He’s only behind some guy named Rice who played with in San Fran. Anybody ever hear of this character? Congrats to you T.O.

4. When finally given a shot to be a starter, Michael Turner showed why he might be one of the most talented running backs in the league. After sitting behind LT for the past couple of years, Turner exploded for 220 yards and 2 tocuhdowns, albeit against the hapless Detroit Lions. Now I know why the Chargers always kept this guy around, because if LT ever went down, this guy would be just as good to have in your backfield.

5. Kudos to rookie quarterbacks, Joe Flacco and Matt Ryan. Both QBs led their clubs to Week 1 wins, while making their first starts. Flacco, who played at Division 1-AA Delaware was able to put perform former USC Trojan standout Carson Palmer. Who says you have to be from a major college to be a big-time pro in the NFL. On the other hand, Ryan allowed Falcons fans to shout, “Vick who?” Let’s see how these guys do in Week 2 as the Falcons travel to Tampa, while the Ravens go down to face Mario Williams at the Houston Texans.

6. Oh Mr. Flacco, I am not quite done with you yet my friend. You officially scored the slowest 38 yard running touchdown in the history of the NFL. Please, if you haven’t seen it yet, please check it out on youtube asap. But come on Bengals, what the hell were you guys doing letting this slower than slow quarterback rumble for 38 painfully slow yards. Just to let you know Marvin Lewis, you might be coaching the most uninspired team in the league. Good luck getting them amped for their next game against Tennessee.

7. Speaking of the Titans, I hope everything is fine with Vince Young down in Dixieland. According to his mother, Young has not been in the best emotional state and does not want to play football anymore. I hope Vince makes the right decision and if he needs to get help that he does just that.

8. As much as it hurts me to say this, the NFC West may be the most pathetic division in NFL History. Had the Cardinals and 49ers not been battling each other, no team would have probably won as the Rams were crushed by Philly and the Seahawks looked pathetic against the Bills.

9. One of my biggest gripes with this first week is how everyone is crowning the Jets as the top dog in the AFC East. Did everybody forget that they were only 1 play away from losing to the previousli 1-15 Miami Dolphins. Also, the Jets needed a miracle Brett Favre heave to score one of their tocuhdowns. I’m sorry to say this and I know I will be offending a lof of you Favre fans out there, but that touchdown wa spure luck and 9 out of 10 times that will be an interception.

10. After watching them destroy Seattle in every facet of the game, I think the Bills will pose the biggest threat to the Bradyless Patriots. If the can contiue to get quality performances from Marshawn Lynch and make big plays in the special teams, the Bills could surprise some teams in the AFC this season.

11. Every year I think it will be the year that the Jaguars will take down the Colts in the AFC South. This year I was certain would be the year and how do they repay me, by flopping in their opener against Tennesee. Now I’m not saying there is no chance that they will win it, but come on guys. It’s time to take over that top spot. If you don’t want to do it for yourselves, please do it for ME!

12. As good as I think Dallas is, Philly is going to give them a run for their money in the East this year. they might not beat them out, but the Eagles will be a Playoff team this year.

13. It’s just great that football season is back and it gives me something to look forward to on Sundays. Ben Franklin once said that beer is proof that god loves us, well I think you can add football to that statement as well.

September 4, 2008

At my time at Quinnipiac University I have sat through and learned during a tough Calculus class, I have pondered and understood the great thinkers like Socrates and Plato, and I have even sat through a class that was totally about Karl Marx. During all these classes I have been able to learn the concepts and understand why Calculus works like it does and why men like Socrates, Plato and Marx thought like they did. However, there is one thing I might never understand about college. It has nothing to do with the classroom or any organization I have been a part of. So what is it that i can’t understand… College students obsession with the game Ultimate Frisbee.

Before i took my first steps onto our Hamden campus, I had never even heard of ultimate frisbee. I probably had thrown a frisbee maybe a half a dozen times in my entire life. And in all honesty, I couldn’t throw a frisbee if my life depended on it. It wobbles for the first half of its flight and then somehow magically straightens out in the end. I’ve seen a frisbee thrown 10 different ways and I couldn’t do any of them. I think my dog would laugh at me if I tried to throw a frisbee for him to catch.

I don’t know why, but I have never understood the fascination with the frisbee, especially with college kids. Was everyone given some pill at orientation that made you love ultimate frisbee? Was I in the bathroom when they were handing them out?

Maybe it’s my addiction to sports that involve contact that can explain my reasoning for not being a frisbee fanatic. I love playing sports like football where you get tackled, basketball where you can get thrown to the floor and fouled every time down court and soccer where I have been headbutted enough to cause brain damage (which if you asked the people who know me, they’d say that i definitely have lost a few brain cells).

Sports like tennis volleyball, and ultimate frisbee don’t seem as exciting because of their lack of contact. However, before you frisbee fanatics, bombard me with comments about how great frisbee is and that I don’t know what I am talking about, read this first. The next time you are organizing a game of your beloved sport leave me a comment of when and where, and I will show up and pop my ultimate frisbee cherry and try to play the game you enjoy. But just one warning, if you invite me to play, you probably won’t want me on your team.